The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for handling labels having one side coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive. The present invention is particularly suited for use with weighing and labeling apparatus used in super markets and grocery stores for determining the weight and total value of random weight items. Labels of the type transported in the present invention may typically have a bar coded pattern such as the Universal Product Code (UPC) specifying the type of product and the total cost of the product printed thereon. The bar code pattern for pre-packaged goods is typically printed on the product package. Since, however, between 10 and 30% of items sold in grocery stores are random weight items, (e.g., meat, produce and cheese), provision for the application of UPC labels to such products must be made, to allow these items to be processed through the readers at check out counters. It is therefore necessary to transport a label bearing such UPC information from the bar code printer where this information is printed to an applicator where the label is applied to the package. This is true whether the label is to be applied automatically or manually.
Typically such labels may have a pressure sensitive adhesive coating on one side and are held by this coating on a strip of backing material while they are printed. Thus it is necessary and advantageous to provide a method and apparatus for automatically stripping such labels from the backing material and transporting them, with the adhesive exposed, to a point at which they may be applied to a package.
In the past label transport devices have been known, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,556,898, assigned to the assignee of the present invention. Such a device, however as shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings utilized a conveying mechanism which firmly engaged a label before the label was completely stripped from the backing material on which it is mounted.